It's here; the official end of summer.  WRAL's meteorologist Greg Fishel might argue, but for me, this first day of traditional school marks my official end of summer.

No more sleeping in the basement every night for my boys.  No more spontaneous trips to the Cary Tennis Park tennis courts at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday.  No more sleeping in.  Ouch.

We’ve had longer than most.  In my neighborhood, we’re the minority.  Most of the kids go to nearby schools, which are majority year round.  I confess: we have snickered a time or twelve when the year round school bus rumbled through our neighborhood in early July, while my kids and I cavorted at the pool.

When the summer began, I had a whole list of activities I’d hoped we would do.  And as the summer comes to an end, I can’t help but regret the things we still did not get to.  We didn’t really go on an extended family vacation.  I didn’t see my gym on that daily basis I had so ambitiously planned.

We had our reasons for the change of plans.  The economy curtailed guiltless spending.  A  plant explosion put so many things in perspective and slid going to Myrtle Beach way down on the list of summer essentials. Various sporting events kidnapped our weekends for months at a time.

Perhaps my grandiose plans were unobtainable.  Maybe instead, I need to look at what we did accomplish this summer, the bad and the good.  (For perspective, I’m counting from June 11 – August 24th, 74 days.  Just so you know.)

The Bad:

1. Nagged kids to take dishes out of the dishwasher: 70 times.  Proof that childhood Alzheimer’s bears researching.

2. Interrupted bickering. 237 times.   Who wants to do the math on the different permutations possibilities of arguing among four kids?  

3. Went back home for essential equipment.  1 time.  Apparently, footwear is recommended when playing tennis.

The Good:

1. Played tennis with kids.  20 times.  I used to be able to beat them like a drum. Now, I won’t try to take on any of the three oldest at all in singles. For doubles, however, we can have some fun—meaning I can still win.

2. Snuggled with my daughter.  81 times. Each time was a gift—as she enters middle school, I don’t know how much longer she’ll want to do this. Maybe I can convince her it’s really cool.  My boys give me affection too, it’s just that they’re more likely to lean down and pat me on the shoulder as they pass by.

3. Toured the I-64 corridor with softball and baseball teams.  Knightdale, Rocky Mount, Kinston, Goldsboro.  I’m almost tempted to go back to Williamston, NC to eat at the Hitchin’ Post again.  Almost.

4. We did manage a few quick trips.  A one-day trip to Wrightsville Beach.  (Hint: the Holiday Inn Sunspree has a great gift shop.  If you at least go into the gift shop, you’ll feel less guilty about using the hotel restrooms, since the public ones are so far away.)  We went to  Great Wolf Lodge, where, only once we arrived did we discover that two of my sons have absolutely no interest in water parks.

Yes, the kids bickered, but they also played together.  So often they were each other’s first choice of friend to be with.  They went to the pool and played Categories: the water version.  They went to Eva Perry library and swapped books with each other.  They played duets on Guitar Hero (World Tour, no doubt).  They teased and taunted, but they also called for me at the top of their lungs when any one of them was hurt.

They had downtime—something they don’t always get much of during the school year.  They got to relax and be kids. They even got the chance to be bored.

So when their friends ask them what they did this summer and my kids mumble: “Nothing much,” I don’t think I’ll mind at all.

Pamela appears Tuesdays on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Pamela on her blog Crazy is My Life.